Sharks Prospects Getting Final Opportunity to Audition for NHL Roster

SAN JOSE -- This year's training camp has served as one big audition for several new faces in the Sharks organization. And Tuesday evening signals the final stage of that tryout process.

One day after several players were reassigned to the AHL for the start of Barracuda training camp, San Jose recalled eight players for what will be a prospect-heavy lineup for Tuesday's game against the Ducks down in Anaheim. This game will likely serve as a final opportunity for these players to show if they can handle competing at the NHL level on a nightly basis -- or if they're better off starting the season with the 'Cuda.

"We're getting close, we have to start getting our group together and start to get ready," Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer told the media over the weekend. "The guys, I think, between the training camp, scrimmages, and the exhibition games, have had more than enough opportunity to show us what they can do -- or can't."

This isn't to say that highly-touted prospects such as Joachim Blichfeld, Alex True and Sasha Chmelevski don't have the chops to eventually crack the Sharks' roster later in the season. But now, after roughly a week and a half of practices and preseason contests, it's more likely the eight players who were recalled for Tuesday's game in Anaheim will still start the season at the AHL level. 

Unless, of course, one of them plays off-the-charts against the Ducks and earns another look in one of the Sharks' final two preseason games. Even so, Tuesday's game shows that the tryout window is closing.

It isn't just the newest faces from this year's camp who have something to prove on Tuesday evening. Two players who need to have good showings were rookies a year ago: Dylan Gambrell and Antti Suomela. The Sharks signed both centers to deals over the summer -- Gambrell to a two-year contract, Suomela to a one-year deal -- and the expectation was that both would be top candidates to fill in roles for the NHL club this season. Gambrell, in particular, entered the preseason with a strong chance of snagging a roster spot after he split time between the NHL and AHL last season. He was penciled into the lineup for San Jose's final playoff game against the St. Louis Blues, and scored the Sharks' only goal in that game, no less.

With just one goal between them so far this preseason -- which Suomela scored Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights -- it's crucial they take advantage of their opportunities against Anaheim.

Two players who won't be on the roster for Tuesday's game in Anaheim are forward Lean Bergmann and defenseman Mario Ferraro. Both skaters have had impressive camps and were standouts in last Saturday's preseason game against Vegas. DeBoer is expected to put two NHL-heavy lineups on the ice in the final two preseason games, so it will be interesting to see what opportunities those two players get toward the end of the week.

[RELATED: Why Ferraro's chances of being on Sharks roster are growing]

San Jose's preseason schedule concludes later this week with a Thursday night home game against the Calgary Flames and a Sunday evening tilt in Sin City against the Golden Knights.

Copyright CSNBY - CSN BAY
Contact Us